Slartibartfast:
So after a very frustrating experience with a local doctor, I've decided I'm never going to that practice again. (I can't give the full story of my doctor experience here, because it deals with some topics that are frowned on on this board, but basically one of the staff members made some very prejudiced statements about people of a certain group, and the doctor just brushed it off when I told her about it. I won't patronize a business that openly hires bigots, if I have a choice about it.)

However, the decision made me curious - anyone got an interesting story about having SUCH a bad experience with a store/doctor/business that you will never darken their doors again?

ShieldMaiden:
Ok, this is a bit funny because of course I am never going to darken the door of *insert famous bridal store* here because I won't be buying another wedding dress (I plan on keeping ShieldMan ;D). But I do tell my story to local brides who ask my opinion about where to shop for a wedding dress.

Me, my mother and my two sisters arrived on time to our appointment. We were assigned a salesperson to help me with dresses. I specifically told the salesperson that I did not want a train. It was one of the first things I said: white with no train. The salesperson kept pulling dress after dress with trains. When she pulled the fifth one with a train (and I'm talking Princess Diana style ten foot beaded train because, according to her, 'every bride should have a train on her dress') and I tried it on I stood in front of the mirror and said "it's not for me, I really don't want a train on my dress. Can you look for ones without trains?" Her reply was "stand there for five minutes and look at yourself and I'm sure you'll realize you want the train. It looks beautiful." I left the store without trying any more.

I was angry because despite the fact that I told her what style dress I wanted she completed refused to find one to my specifications. Instead she was pulling dresses that were more to her taste. It made the whole appointment a waste of time.

Luckily I found the perfect dress (without train) at a locally owned bridal shop. ;D

mechtilde:
The owner of our local convenience store is surly to the point of rudeness.

magiccat26:
There is a department store chain that is well known for it's tools and appliances. Throughout the entire saga, I never yelled obscenities, I never insulted the CSR, I did occasionally get loud and firm, and occasionally had to talk over the person on the other end of the line.

When DH and I were purchasing our new house, I went shopping on-line for new appliances about a month ahead of our move date. I purchased a refrigerator, a washer, and dryer. A total purchase of over $3,500. It was the beginning of a horrible experience. First, they changed the shipping address to the billing address...even though I had a receipt that said otherwise, when the email came confirming the pending delivery date, it showed our old address as the delivery address.

I called customer service and was on hold for 35 minutes before I was able to talk to a human...who proceeded to tell me that I must have made an error when I ordered (even though I had proof otherwise) and that they could not change the order since delivery had already been scheduled. I could refuse the order when it arrived, but then I would be charged a "restocking" fee.

I did not want appliances delivered to a home I did not own. I would not be in the house to "refuse" the delivery. The delivery date was for the day after I moved into my new house (2 weeks away). She said it was too late. I demanded a supervisor.

She refused to transfer me saying that I made an error and she couldn't help me. I continued to demand a supervisor. She hung up on me.

I called back...on hold for 23 minutes...got a different rep with a different story. But this one said she could either cancel the order or I could refuse the shipment at my old address. I chose to cancel the order. I was told it would be 10 to 12 weeks before the money would be credited to my account. The refund policy on the receipt said 10 to 12 business days. I pointed this out. She told me that it was a typo and their policy was 10 to 12 weeks for a refund. I demanded a supervisor. She hung up on me. I received an email confirming my cancellation with the "new" policy (different from the one on my ORIGINAL order) listed.

I called back....on hold for 30 minutes. I asked to speak to a supervisor. They asked why. I said, the last two reps I has spoken to had hung up on me and refused to transfer me. She asked for my order number. After she pulled it up, she said...Oh that order is cancelled, I cannot help you. I said I needed to talk to a supervisor. She said a supervisor couldn't help me because according to the system I didn't have an order anymore and supervisors could only speak to customers. I demanded a supervisor and she told me that they would not be able to help me and hung up.

I went to the company's website and looked up the email for corporate. I emailed my saga with attachments showing the progression of my order and explaining my problem. They emailed me back saying I would need to speak to a supervisor at the call center and gave me the number I had already called 3 times.

So, I called again. This time I refused to explain myself. I just politely asked for a supervisor. Repeating myself over and over and over again (like a broken record) until they got fed up and transferred me.

I explained my situation to the supervisor who denied that any of their reps would ever hang up on a customer. ::) They finally agreed to refund my money as shown on my on-line receipt. I got his name and direct line.

I watched my account daily and after 12 days the money wasn't in the account, so I called him and asked him why my refund had not been issued. I was given the run around for 3 days until he finally admitted that he hadn't submitted my request because, "It just wasn't done." I informed him that I would be taking action very soon to ensure that the proper authorities knew that they were not honoring their own refund policy as stated when I made my purchase. He sputtered and told me it would get done that day.

I continued to watch my account and called every day until FINALLY, they refunded my money. I did not have a washer, dryer, or refrigerator when I moved into my home. As soon as I received my refund, I went to the local blue hardware store that sells appliances, and purchased everything I needed. They delivered the next day and I saved over $500 because I purchased a discontinued floor model of the refrigerator I wanted.

It has been 2 1/2 years, but I refuse to step foot in the store or spend any of my money there.

Samantha:
Not really shopping, but I won't go back to my old doctor. He was the physician that my parents saw, and that I saw, the whole time I was growing up. Around the time I turned 18, I decided to stop seeing him for a few different reasons.

The first was because my Mom went in complaining about something (turned out that she had carpel tunnel syndrome), and he told her to get a more ladylike job (my Mom worked in a factory).

The second was because he was the father of one of my close friends in high school, and it was really really awkward the first time I went for a gyno exam... He'd seen me in my pajamas and a face mask at slumber parties! I was going to stick with him as my primary physician and start going to an ob/gyn for my annual exam, as he was a good doctor, until he made the comment to my Mom. That was the last straw.

The third was because I'd struggled (and still do) with my weight. I'd complain to him about it, and he'd tell me to eat more vegetables, less chocolate, and exercise. I was doing that, but nothing worked! After changing doctors, the new one ran full bloodwork... and found out that I had a thyroid condition!